Method and apparatus for processing communication between network management device and user equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a method, for processing communication with a user equipment, in a network management device of a multi-carrier system. The method includes: activating a first number of independent carriers for a user equipment and allocating user equipment identifiers corresponding to the respective independent carriers respectively for the user equipment; determining whether a second number of dependent carriers are activated for the user equipment; and if so, performing either of: allocating user equipment identifiers corresponding to the respective dependent carriers respectively for the user equipment, and for each of the dependent carriers, processing information of the user equipment over the dependent carrier based upon the user equipment identifier, allocated for the user equipment, corresponding to the dependent carrier; or processing information of the user equipment over is the respective dependent carriers based upon the user equipment identifier, allocated for the user equipment, corresponding to at least one of the first number of independent carriers.

1 . A method, for processing communication with a user equipment, in a network management device of a multi-carrier system, comprising the steps of:
 a. activating a first number of independent carriers for a user equipment and allocating user equipment identifiers corresponding to the respective independent carriers respectively for the user equipment;   b, determining whether a second number of dependent carriers are activated for the user equipment; and   c. if a second number of dependent carriers are activated for the user equipment, performing either of:   i. allocating user equipment identifiers corresponding to the respective dependent carriers respectively for the user equipment, and for each of the dependent carriers, processing information of the user equipment over the dependent carrier based upon the user equipment identifier, allocated for the user equipment, corresponding to the dependent carrier; or   I. processing information of the user equipment over the respective dependent carriers based upon the user equipment identifier, allocated for the user equipment, corresponding to at least one of the first number of independent carriers;   wherein any one of the allocated user equipment identifiers is unique over its corresponding carrier.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the step I, the user equipment identifier for processing the information of the user equipment over any one of the dependent carriers corresponds to the independent carrier over which the network management device transmits control signaling corresponding to the dependent carrier to the user equipment. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein in the step I, the user equipment identifier for processing the information of the user equipment over any one of the dependent carriers corresponds to the independent carrier over which the network management device transmits resource allocation information corresponding to the dependent carrier to the user equipment. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 determining whether there is one or more independent carriers or dependent carriers deactivated for the user equipment; and   if there is at least one independent carrier or dependent carrier deactivated for the user equipment, instructing the user equipment to release the previously allocated user equipment identifier or identifiers corresponding to the one or more independent carriers or dependent carriers.   
     
     
         5 . A method, for communicating with a network management device, in a user equipment of a multi-carrier system, comprising the steps of:
 l. receiving user equipment identifiers transmitted from the network management device, which correspond to a first number of independent carriers activated for the user equipment;   m. when the network management device activates a second number of dependent carriers for the user equipment, performing either of:   x. receiving user equipment identifiers transmitted from the network management device, which correspond to the respective dependent carriers, and for each of the dependent carriers, processing information of the user equipment over the dependent carrier based upon the user equipment identifier, allocated for the user equipment, corresponding to the dependent carrier; or   y. processing information of the user equipment over the respective dependent carriers based upon the received user equipment identifier corresponding to at least one of the first number of independent carriers.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein in the step y, the user equipment identifier for processing the information of the user equipment over any one of the dependent carriers corresponds to the independent carrier over which the network management device transmits control signaling corresponding to the dependent carrier to the user equipment. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein in the step y, the user equipment identifier for processing the information of the user equipment over any one of the dependent carriers corresponds to the independent carrier over which the network management device transmits resource allocation information corresponding to the dependent carrier to the user equipment. 
     
     
         8 . A first apparatus, for processing communication with a user equipment, in a network management device of a multi-carrier system, comprising:
 a first unit for activating a first number of independent carriers for a user equipment and allocating user equipment identifiers corresponding to the respective independent carriers respectively for the user equipment;   determining means for determining whether a second number of dependent carriers are activated for the user equipment; and   a second unit for, if a second number of dependent carriers are activated for the user equipment, performing either of:   allocating user equipment identifiers corresponding to the respective dependent carriers respectively for the user equipment, and for each of the dependent carriers, processing information of the user equipment over the dependent carrier based upon the user equipment identifier, allocated for the user equipment, corresponding to the dependent carrier; or   processing information of the user equipment over the respective dependent carriers based upon the user equipment identifier, allocated for the user equipment, corresponding to at least one of the first number of independent carriers;   wherein any one of the allocated user equipment identifiers is unique over its corresponding carrier.   
     
     
         9 . The first apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the user equipment identifier for the second unit to process the information of the user equipment over any one of the dependent carriers corresponds to the independent carrier over which the network management device transmits control signaling corresponding to the dependent carrier to the user equipment. 
     
     
         10 . The first apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the user equipment identifier for the second unit to process the information of the user equipment over any one of the dependent carriers corresponds to the independent carrier over which the network management device transmits resource allocation information corresponding to the dependent carrier to the user equipment. 
     
     
         11 . The first apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the determining means is further for determining whether there is one or more independent carriers or dependent carriers deactivated for the user equipment; and   instructing means is further comprised for, if there is at least one independent carrier or dependent carrier deactivated for the user equipment, instructing the user equipment to release the previously allocated user equipment identifier or identifiers corresponding to the one or more independent carriers or dependent carriers.   
     
     
         12 . A second apparatus, for communicating with a network management device, in a user equipment of a multi-carrier system, comprising:
 receiving means for receiving user equipment identifiers transmitted from the network management device, which correspond to a first number of independent carriers activated for the user equipment;   a third unit for, when the network management device activates a second number of dependent carriers for the user equipment, performing either of:
 receiving user equipment identifiers, transmitted from the network management device, corresponding to the respective dependent carriers, and for each of the dependent carriers, processing information of the user equipment over the dependent carrier based upon the user equipment identifier, allocated for the user equipment, corresponding to the dependent carrier; or 
 processing information of the user equipment over the respective dependent carriers based upon the received user equipment identifier corresponding to at least one of the first number of independent carriers. 
   
     
     
         13 . The second apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the user equipment identifier for the third unit to process the information of the user equipment over any one of the dependent carriers corresponds to the independent carrier over which the network management device transmits resource allocation information corresponding to the dependent carrier to the user equipment. 
     
     
         14 . A network management device of a multi-carrier system, comprising the first apparatus according to  claim 8 . 
     
     
         15 . A user equipment device of a multi-carrier system, comprising the second apparatus according to  claim 12 .